Since I've been doing this whole Lville Beer gig one of the things that has really drawn me into the craft beer world is the sense of community that surrounds it. Don't believe me? Go into Twitter and search for the hash tag #craftbeer and see how many people are talking about it. I myself have met many interesting people through the years due to craft beer discussions, and last night was a continuation of this as I sat down at Boombozz Taphouse in the Highlands to talk beer with a potential new writer for Lville Beer and enjoy a pint of the new Spring Seasonal from Sierra Nevada - Ruthless Rye IPA.

Sierra didn't really do too much to hype this new seasonal that replaced the Glissade Golden Bock of previous years, and I didn't even know it was a seasonal at first. I had seen it around town and had heard whispers about it being very good, but for the most part it arrived without much fanfare. Mine appeared in front of me with a decent one-inch head on it that was moderately thick and held on for a decent amount of time. This copper colored IPA delivered. In my first sip I got a nice spicy, peppery kick from the rye followed by a decent bitterness from the hops. It's a very well-balanced IPA, which was confirmed to me when I discovered that it weighs in around 55 IBUs. Not too bitter, but just bitter enough to be an enjoyable, what I would consider sessionable, IPA. At only 6.6% ABV you should be able to enjoy a few without getting into too much trouble, and I can see this pairing well with some pepper jack cheese or pulled pork.

At the end of the day I personally feel Sierra Nevada took a step up by replacing Glissade; the Ruthless Rye puts it to shame in my opinion. The thing that probably disappoints me the most about this beer is the fact that it's only going to be around for a few months each year. Trust me though, pick up a pack of bottles or catch it around town on draft. While you're drinking it start a conversation with someone about craft beer. Whether it be in person or via a social media like Twitter, you'll hopefully get the feeling of community that I described in the first paragraph. Beer is one of the bricks in the foundation of civilization, and even though here in 2012 we've built skyscrapers onto that foundation, it doesn't ever hurt to sit and discuss your roots.

Join my Lville Beer community, I like feeling wanted and needed....follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare so that I can entertain you with my tom-foolery.